Adverbs Grade Seven

What are Adverbs? Adverbs are single-word modifiers. This means that they describe something. They describe verbs most of the time. Sometimes they describe adjectives and other adverbs.

What are Adverbs? Most adverbs describe an action verb. Run is a verb. You could: run fast run slow run backward run sideways Fast, slow, backward, sideways – these are all adverbs because they describe the action run.

What are Adverbs? Some adverbs describe adjectives. Pretty is an adjective. You could say: quite pretty really pretty not pretty definitely pretty Quite, really, not, definitely – these are all adverbs because they describe the adjective pretty.

What are Adverbs? Some adverbs also describe other adverbs. Cowardly is an adverb. You could say: very cowardly never cowardly always cowardly thoroughly cowardly Very, never, always, thoroughly – these are adverbs because they describe other adverbs.

Types of Adverbs One type of adverb is the adverb of time. Adverbs of time tell “when?” or “how often?” an action occurs. Example: I never saw the movie. (When did I see it? Never. That means “never” is an adverb of time.) We wrote a story yesterday in class. (When did we write it? Yesterday. That means “yesterday” is an adverb of time.)

Types of Adverbs Another type of adverb are adverbs of place. Adverbs of place tell “where?” an action occurred. Example: Did you put your book there on the table? Where did you put your book? There. That means that there is an adverb. “On the table” is a prepositional phrase. It is not an adverb. Remember that an adverb is a single-word modifier.

Types of Adverbs The most common type of adverbs are adverbs of manner. Adverbs of manner tell “how?” or “in what manner?” an action has occurred. Many adverbs of manner end in the letters “ly.” Example: We walked slowly down the hall. (How did we walk? Slowly. That means “slowly” is an adverb of manner.)

Types of Adverbs Adverbs of degree are the hardest type of adverb to locate in a sentence. Adverbs of manner tell “how much?” or “to what degree?” something occurs. Adverbs of manner are often the ones that describe adjectives or other adverbs. Example: I am very tired. (To what degree am I tired? Very. “Very” is an adverb of manner.) We were too sleepy to continue the activity. (How much were we sleepy? Too. That means that “too”is an adverb of degree.)

Types of Adverbs The final type of adverb are adverbs of affirmation and negation. The three adverbs of affirmation are: yes, indeed, undoubtedly The three adverbs of negation are: no, not, never Anytime these words appear in sentences, they are adverbs.

Adverb or Adjective? An ADVERB modifies verbs, adjectives and other adverbs. An ADJECTIVE modifies nouns. Example: The fast car is racing. (Fast describes car. Car is a noun. The kind of word that describes a noun is an adjective; therefore, in this sentence, fast is an adjective.) Example: The car races fast. (Fast describes how it races. Races is a verb. The kind of word that describes a verb is an adverb; therefore, in this sentence, fast is an adverb.)

This completes the review of adverbs. Additional review can be done in the review folders housed in 106 and the library.